What is a Spotlight Award?
A Spotlight Award is an award which recognises volunteers and voluntary organisations in Scotland who go over and above to help to support others and to help improve life opportunities or the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.
What does a Spotlight Award consist of?
Successful awardees are issued with a digital badge and a digital certificate which confirms the award and the achievements it celebrates. Each awardee will also have an opportunity to have a profile on the award website, which will showcase their contributions and the award conferred. The digital badge will be issued under the ‘Open Badges’ scheme and has a means of easy verification at its core. These badges can be added to websites, social media and websites like LinkedIn and are probative.
Who is behind the Spotlight Awards?
The Spotlight Awards programme was set up and is managed by the Scottish non-profit organisation Welfare Scotland. The Consideration Panel will initially draw its membership from the Welfare Scotland board. As the programme develops, we envisage appointing members to the panel from across the third sector and Scottish society.
How is a decision made?
A nomination is made via our website, where the nominator sets out the achievements of their nominee and the details necessary for the nomination to be researched and considered. The submitted nomination is initially checked by an individual who isn’t a member of the panel, and some checks are completed using social media and the information available about the nominee online. Having completed these initial checks, the nomination is then submitted to the panel for their consideration.
We will initially review nominations on a rolling basis in three month blocks, but as nominations increase we may introduce cut off dates to facilitate a more formal, timetabled process. We aim to consider nominations and decide within 6 weeks. In exceptional circumstances, the panel will consider nominations under an expedited process and if you believe your nomination should be expedited, please contact us before you make the nomination.